Man Suspected of Cat Abuse to be Arraigned

A 28-year-old Northridge man accused of beating his girlfriend's cat is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 5 on one felony count of animal cruelty, authorities said.

Aldo Rivera-Nieves was arrested Friday, according to the nonprofit Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the District Attorney's Office. He was released from jail Saturday after posting $20,000 in bail, according to prosecutors.

Rivera-Nieves allegedly tried to remove the cat, named Umechan or "little plum," from a closet by force. When the animal bit him, authorities say he attacked her. The cat suffered traumatic brain injury and missing teeth, according to the spcaLA.

"Regardless of the object of abuse -- animal or human -- violence cannot be tolerated," said spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein. "Today, the family cat is treated as a punching bag, who is the target tomorrow?"

Rivera-Nieves' girlfriend wasn't home at the time of the alleged attack in December but discovered her bloody cat when she got home from work. She took Umechan to a vet and the cat survived.

If convicted, Rivera-Nieves could face up to three years in state prison and a $20,000 fine.

The nonprofit offers free boarding for the pets of domestic violence survivors, so they can leave a dangerous situation without fear for their pets' safety, as well as a program intended to instill empathy in at-risk youth.

"The link between animal abuse, domestic violence and child abuse is real, proven by endless studies, and must be broken," Bernstein said.

--City News Service